There we were，sitting across the table from each other in the middle of a parking lot，toasting each other with champagne and grinning from ear to ear.Drivers in search of a parking place were annoyed at us for taking up the space，but once they took a closer look，many of them broke into astonished smiles.
With seven and one-half minutes to go，we put everything back in the trunk and ran for my plane.We readily got through the security check and arrived back at Gate 23with five minutes to spare.What Luke and I had not remembered，however，was that my next flight was leaving from Gate 31，which was in the other terminal！There was no way I was going to get from Terminal 2to Terminal 3in time to make my plane.
I was starting to get hysterical.But Luke was ready for anything he flagged down an airport employee who was driving an electric cart，and we jumped on the back.“Our plane is leaving from Gate 31in three minutes！”Luke implored.
The driver was up to the challenge.He drove the cart like a Grand Prix racer，dodging and weaving around the pedestrians.We loudly applauded his every move.We were laughing.We were screaming.We were cheering him on.
We arrived at the gate with only seconds to spare.The flight attendant scolded me，in mock anger.
“Where have you been？You think we can wait all day for you？Get on this plane right now！”
She grabbed my ticket，rushed me on board and slammed the door behind me.I collapsed into my seat，relieved and energized by the whole bizarre experience.
Throughout the entire flight，images of my dinner with Luke popped into my head.But then I realized the whole thing had happened so quickly that I hadn’t really had a chance to thank him properly.So as soon as the plane landed I called him at home and said，“Luke，that was such a wonderful thing you did for me.I really want to thank you.”
“You don’t have to thank me，”Luke replied evenly.“Somebody already beat you to it.”
“What are you talking about？”I asked.
“When I got back to my car，”he explained，“there was a flower on the windshield，with a little note that said：Anybody who would do something like that for another person must be a beautiful human being.”
几年前，我从旧金山到新奥尔良出公差；在查阅行程安排的时候，我注意到在达拉斯机场转机的间隙，有一段自由支配的时间；于是，我打电话给达拉斯的朋友卢克说：“卢克，我要在达拉斯机场转机，中间有一个半小时的时间；如果你来接我，我请你吃晚饭；”卢克爽快地答应了。
当飞行员宣布由于空中交通管制，飞机将在旧金山机场推迟几分钟起飞时，我并未在意；但随着时间一再拖延，我变得越来越烦躁不安，因为每过去一分钟，就意味着我和朋友见面的时间少一分钟。
飞机到达拉斯时晚点一个小时；这样一来，我只有半个小时的时间可以和卢克共度了，而且，我还要转机；所以，我估计和卢克共进晚餐看来是没戏。
当我走下飞机时，卢克正站在人群中等着接我呢。
“嗨，卢克，”我满怀歉意地说，“谢谢你来接我，希望没让你等太久。”
“哦，没关系，”他轻松地答道：“我提前打了电话，知道飞机晚点。”
“噢，那就好，”我回答说：“呃，抱歉今天不能请你吃晚饭了，下次一定补上。快点儿，我们去找找转机口，我们边走边聊吧。”
说完，我向前走去，但卢克却站在那里一动也没动。
“我可是非常想和你一起吃晚饭啊，”他对我说。
我疑惑地回头看着他，笑道：“你说什么呢？除非你也买一张飞往新奥尔良的机票，我们今天才能共进晚餐！”
“我们这就去晚餐，”卢克胸有成竹地答道：“相信我，我已经全都安排好了，你就跟我走吧。”
他说着拎起我的一个包径直向前走去，过了安检；无奈的我只能紧紧地跟在他后面，心里暗暗埋怨他，并且随着时间一分一秒地流逝，我越来越感到焦急；这时，他跑了起来，进了多层停车库，而我则跟在他后面跑着，心想：“现在要坐他的车去饭店吃晚餐，再返回来赶飞机，这简直是不可能！”
我们飞快地跑下多层停车库的一小段楼梯，然后又迅速地穿过好几排汽车，才来到卢克的汽车前面；这时，我立刻发现在他汽车旁边的停车位上，他早就已经摆好了一张折叠桌。
卢克不由分说地掏出车钥匙，打开了汽车的后备箱，从里面拿出了一块野餐用的方格桌布，潇洒地将其展开铺在桌子上；接着，他又拽出两把折叠椅展开在桌旁；然后，是一瓶香槟酒和一大罐开胃菜；接着，他在桌子中央点上了一根蜡烛。
就这样，在停车场中央，我们面对面地坐着，互敬着香槟，开心地笑着；不过，这可惹恼了那些找位置停车的司机了，因为我们占了停车位；然而当他们驶近看清楚之后，许多人都惊讶地笑了。
离飞机起飞只剩7分半钟的时候，我们把所有东西都收进后备箱，便撒开腿跑去赶飞机；当我们迅速地通过安检回到23号登机门时，距离飞机起飞仅剩下5分钟了；但是，我和卢克竟然忘了我要转乘的那趟航班是在31号入口登机，是在另外一个候机室！要知道在5分钟的时间里，从第二候机室赶到第三候机室再登上飞机，这是根本不可能的！
这时，我快急疯了；但是，卢克好像早有准备似的，他招手拦下一位驾驶电动车的机场职员，接着我和他一起跳上车的后部。
“我们的飞机还有3分钟就要从31号登机口起飞了！”卢克恳求道。
这位司机立刻接受了这严峻的挑战；他把车开得像参加国际汽车大奖赛似的，左突右冲，躲避着过往的行人，我们不禁一次又一次地为他大声鼓掌喝彩；就这样，一路上，我们笑着；叫着，不停地为他叫好着。
当我们赶到登机处的时候，离起飞时间只剩下几秒钟了，乘务员故作生气地厉声责备道：“你刚才干嘛去啦？你以为我们会在这儿为你等上一整天啊？赶快上去！”
她一把夺过我的机票，催促我上了飞机，然后“砰”地一声关上了舱门；我瘫坐在自己的座位上，长长地舒了一口气，刚才的历险令我心潮澎湃。
在整个飞行过程中，我和卢克共进晚餐的情景仍历历在目；但是，我忽然意识到，整件事发生得太快了，我竟然没有找到机会好好谢谢他；因此，飞机一着陆，我就立即给卢克家打电话：“卢克，你为我所做的一切真是太棒了！我真的非常感谢你！”
“你不必感谢我，”卢克平静地答道；“已经有人代劳了。”
“什么意思？”我问道。
他解释道：“当我回到车上时，我发现在挡风玻璃上插着一枝花，还夹了一张小纸条，上面写着：一个愿意为他人做这样事情的人一定是一个心灵美好的人！”